Chicagoans make 'aliyah'

While on assignment in Israel this year, Tribune photojournalist Brian Cassella visited with six former Chicagoans who now make the country their home. To make “aliyah” is to move to Israel, believing it is a permanent return. Many who make this journey come from a Zionist background, which espouses Jews’ efforts to regain and retain their biblical homeland. Some moved after attending Ida Crown Jewish Academy on the North Side and grew up with Zionist teaching; others decided to relocate after college or retirement. Hear their stories in their own words.

“Many times it just hits me as I’m walking some place: Jews were here thousands and thousands of years ago, they walked on this street.” — Faigie Fischler

HESHEY AND FAIGIE FISCHLER

After finding themselves with grown kids who had relocated to the East Coast, the longtime Chicago couple, Heshey, 69, and Faigie, 66, started new roots in Jerusalem after retirement in 2010.

“Our community is our friends, our family is our friends.” — Rachel Slovin

RACHEL SLOVIN

During a school trip, Slovin, 32, was captivated by the culture of Israel and moved to Jerusalem one month after graduating from Loyola University more than eight years ago.

“I’m here, I’m so blessed to be able to do this. My grandparents, my great-grandparents, great-great-grandparents, they prayed everyday to be able to be in Jerusalem.” — Tamar Rubin

TAMAR RUBIN

Rubin, 54, planted roots in Israel after graduating from Ida Crown Jewish Academy in 1977. The lawyer and her husband raised their family in the West Bank town of Efrat.

“Historically this was our homeland. This was where I wanted to be, where I wanted to raise a family.” — Ardie Geldman

ARDIE GELDMAN

Born in Lawndale and raised in West Ridge, Geldman, 62, visited Israel during his studies in the 1970’s and made the permanent move to Efrat with his wife in 1982.

“The Chicago Orthodox community has such a strong Zionist movement that you do bump into people that you didn’t realize had come to Israel.” — Tal Kohn

TAL KOHN

The 26-year-old West Ridge native graduated from Ida Crown Jewish Academy, the University of Illinois at Chicago and DePaul before moving to Tel Aviv and completing his compulsory service in the Israeli Army.

“Israelis used to say, ‘Why would you leave America?’ They don’t say that as much anymore. But they do ask, ‘Where is it better?’ My answer usually is ‘In America it’s easier, but in Israel it’s better.’.” — Irene Mescheloff

DAVID AND IRENE MESCHELOFF

Both from Zionist families, the couple, David, 69, and Irene, 68, wed and moved to Tel Aviv with their two young children in 1973.